1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing the front forks of cycles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, the parts or the elements of the cycle, particularly the front forks of the cycles are made of metal materials, including such as iron, steel, aluminum, alloy, and the like. For example, for the front forks made of iron or steel or alloy material, one or more tubular or planer materials are required to be cut, hammered, forged, and welded in order to form the prototype of the front fork. In order to prevent the front fork from being rusted, the prototype is required to be further treated with such as the grinding, and the trimming, and the polishing processes, etc. Particularly, the joints or the coupling portions formed by welding processes may include sharp edges or projections that are required to be ground and polished, in order to prevent the sharp edges or projections from hurting people. Thereafter, the ground or polished prototype is required to be electroplated with a beautiful outer layer and/or required to be sprayed with a painting layer. The cost for the iron or steel materials may be cheap, but, a number of manufacturing processes and man powers are required and may decrease the competition of the product. In addition, the electroplating process and/or the painting process may pollute our environment.
For front forks made of aluminum or alloy material, the front forks may be formed with a beautiful and smooth outer appearance by a molding or injection process. However, the cost for the aluminum material may be more expensive than that of the iron or steel materials such that the aluminum front forks are also less competitive.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional front fork manufacturing methods.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing the front forks of cycles with cheaper materials and having an excellent outer appearance.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a front fork of a cycle includes forming a prototype of the front fork with a cheaper iron or steel or alloy material, and disposing the prototype of the front fork in a mold cavity of a mold device. The prototype of the front fork is smaller than that of the mold cavity of the mold device for forming a peripheral space between the mold device and the prototype of the front fork. A plastic material is then filled or injected into the peripheral space formed between the mold device and the prototype of the front fork for forming an outer protective layer on the prototype of the front fork.
The sharp edges and projections and/or the dirt and the greasy materials are preferably removed from the prototype of the front fork before the outer protective layer is formed on the prototype of the front fork.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.